RIP Trees

This is what I was greeted with when I arrived home last night - mind you it was dark, and the pile somehow looked even bigger!

 

Where did so many trees come from, you might ask?  Well, I am sad to report that our backyard will be a lot sunnier next summer!  We had a total of 16 trees taken down from our backyard yesterday, including the one that sat next to the house, with the 25 foot swing on it, the freaky one next to the deck with the huge leaves, the double leader at the top of the hump in the back yard, and an assortment around the shed and side of the house. 

I think I am most sad about the one with the swing - I won't forget seeing Matt, up on the roof, with a rope tied around a brick trying to get it hung for Norah when she was quite young.  Or how much Roddie loved the long gentle arc provided by it's long ropes when he couldn't stand the more rapid pace of the swingset.  Or how Norah was finally big enough to get in and out of the seat herself, even though she was too big for the actual seat.

I guess we'll never upgrade that toddler swing to a tire swing when the kids get older. Or ever really find out what kind of tree that was, with the giant leaves and the funny bean-like pods.  Or put the kids picnic table where the pool once stood, at the base of the hump, and in the shad of the double leader.

We also won't worry about branches landing on the house (we've had several close calls), or the ants eating at the base of those huge trees leaning at increasing angles.  Just as Roddie grew out of his crib and into his bed this past week, it was time for these trees to become someone's firewood.  We'll plant new trees, and grow some grass where before there had only been moss.  We'll figure out other ways to stay cool, and venture a little further back into the yard to find shade.

We have a blank canvas to work on, but first we'll round up the neighbour kids for a game of baseball!